Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Skirmish
Skir′mish
,Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Skirmished
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Skirmishing
.] [OE.
skirmishen
, scarmishen
, OF. escremir
, eskermir
, to fence, fight, F. escrimer
, of German origin; cf. OHG. scirmen
to protect, defend, G. schirmen
, OHG. scirm
, scerm
, protection, shield, G. schirm
; perhaps akin to Gr. [GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK] a sunshade. Cf. Scaramouch
, Scrimmage
.] To fight slightly or in small parties; to engage in a skirmish or skirmishes; to act as skirmishers.
1.
A slight fight in war; a light or desultory combat between detachments from armies, or between detached and small bodies of troops.
2.
A slight contest.
They never meet but there’s a
skirmish
of wit. Shakespeare
Webster 1828 Edition
Skirmish
SKIRMISH
, n.1.
A slight fight in war; a light combat by armies at a great distance from each other, or between detachments and small parties.2.
A contest; a contention.They never meet but there's a skirmish of wit.
Definition 2024
skirmish
skirmish
English
Noun
skirmish (plural skirmishes)
- (military) A brief battle between small groups, usually part of a longer or larger battle or war.
- (figuratively) By extension, any minor dispute.
- A type of outdoor military style game using paintball or similar weapons.
Synonyms
- See also Wikisaurus:fight
- See also Wikisaurus:dispute
Translations
brief battle between small groups
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minor dispute
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Verb
skirmish (third-person singular simple present skirmishes, present participle skirmishing, simple past and past participle skirmished)
Translations
to engage in a minor battle or dispute
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